Don’t Cut Our Lifeline

Don’t Cut Our Lifeline is a campaign to rally people who will be impacted by the proposed cuts to contact their WV Lawmakers and Governor Justice to stop these cuts from being approved. For more information see the list of resources below that includes fact sheets, telephone and email scripts as well as stories from the newsmedia to help explain the situation. You are also invited to join the Facebook group operated by Tracy White, Christy Black and Christina Smith who are on the forefront of the issue providing the accurate and up to the minute resources.
Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/425837310928420/

 

    Downloads and News Stories:

       

       

        What Is the Medicaid Title XIX I/DD Waiver?

          The Medicaid Title XIX I/DD Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Waiver Program is both a Federal and State program through the Social Security Act and funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and administered through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Recourses, WV Bureau for Medical Services and Acentra Health.

            What Does The Medicaid Title XIX I/DD Waiver Do?

              Home and community-based services provide opportunities for individuals to receive services in their own home and communities, rather than in more restrictive institutional settings. In fact, a person “waives” receiving services in an institution in order to receive them in their own home and community. HCBS services are offered by CMS as an option through states so that people can avoid going to institutions.

                What has happened recently to bring TitleXIX I/DD Waiver back to the forefront? 

                  There are major cuts planned in the proposed application which has the thousands of people receiving HCBS services very concerned. Many of these cuts will have a devastating effect on the lives of the people who depend on these services to be able to live in their homes and communities which is essentially the reason the program exists.
                  The 10% proposed budget cuts to the Title XIX I/DD Waiver equates to approximately $11 million dollars. Because West Virginia receives a 75% match from the federal government for Medicaid dollars, this will actually equate to approximately $33 million dollars from the I/DD waiver alone. This does not include the cuts to the Aged and Disabled Waiver, Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver, or other programs and services that impact the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families.